The present invention relates to an adjustable universal driver, and more particularly to an adjustable universal driver useful in driving screws, drilling holes or the like in a surgical environment.
Adjustable universal drivers are well known in the mechanical tool art for driving a first shaft by a second shaft where the first and second shafts are disposed end to end at an obtuse angle. Indeed, such drivers have been developed for the surgical field as well, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,942. The known devices, both in the medical and non-medical fields, have not proven to be entirely satisfactory in use.
In the conventional drivers, the ability of the drive shaft unit (containing the universal joint) to rotate within the sleeve unit without binding degraded as the device was changed from the linear orientation (that is, when the axis of the nose shaft and sleeve are aligned with the axis of the grip shaft and sleeve) to an orientation in which the driver assumed an angle (that is, the axis of the nose shaft and sleeve forms a non-linear angle with the axis of the grip shaft and sleeve). Such binding, when it occurred, interfered with the free rotation of the drive shaft unit within the sleeve unit, thereby rendering the driver unable to perform its intended function.
A further disadvantage of the conventional drivers is that the angle formed between the axes of the nose and grip ends of the device was either unfixed (that is, the nose end could pivot freely about the grip end), was manually maintained (that is, the mechanism used to pivot the nose end relative to the grip end had to be manually maintained once the desired angular disposition was achieved), or required a separate manual fixation (that is, once the proper angle between the nose and grip ends was achieved, a special mechanism had to be actuated in order to fix the angle).
While aforenoted disadvantages of the conventional drivers apply to such devices whether employed in the surgical or non-surgical field, they are especially significant in the surgical field where the drilling of a hole or the driving of a screw may be required at a very specific angle, and where the surgeon has neither the time to apply a separate fixation mechanism once the desired angle has been achieved or the spare hand or fingers which may be required in order to manually maintain the desired angle once achieved.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable universal driver wherein the nose and grip ends may be disposed and maintained at a predetermined angle without the user thereof having to manually maintain the angle or actuate a separate mechanism for maintaining the angle.
Another object is to provide such a driver wherein there is no binding between the drive shaft unit and the sleeve unit, regardless of the obtuse angle formed between the grip and nose ends.
A further object is to provide such a drive which is of simple and economical construction, easy to maintain and easy to use.